


Mavericks in their Own Right

by boredwriting



Category: Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29325636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boredwriting/pseuds/boredwriting
Summary: For the Cainites of LA Discord server challenge: What if LaCroix were Embraced by a different clan instead of Clan Ventrue? Features LaCroix as a Brujah Prince and Nines as a Ventrue. Opposite day!In another timeline where the Camarilla crowns a Brujah as Prince of LA, LaCroix schedules a meeting with the Ventrue Baron of Downtown Nines Rodriguez in hopes of forming an unlikely partnership. Nines isn't keen on making any deals with the Cam, but figures he could at least entertain the notion. As mavericks of their respective factions, a Brujah Prince and a Ventrue Anarch, they may have something they can connect over.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 9
Collections: The Many Clans of Sebastian Lacroix





	Mavericks in their Own Right

Nines leans against a lamppost and pulls out a cigarette. He sets the cig on his lips and lights the end with a custom engraved Zippo. He angles his chin up towards the top of the Venture Tower, the obscenely tall building situated right in the center of Downtown. He squints his eyes as he tries to spot the light at the topmost floor and inhales a draw.

“Can’t believe they took the goddamn tower.” He lets out a puff of smoke. The effects of the nicotine and tar are minuscule to him as Kindred, but the burning smoke helps remind him to breathe and focus. He’s been tense and on edge ever since the Cam moved in and claimed the tower for themselves. Right under his damn nose too.

None of the Anarchs have given him shit for it yet, but he sees it as a fucking embarrassment that they claimed a landmark building right in his own territory. Not that he would’ve ever had the funds, the millions of dollars it would’ve taken to buy out the coveted penthouse floor, but Downtown has always been _his_ territory. _His_ district. Before the Cam, no Kindred would ever dare to make claims on the land he’s had cornered for decades. Through making deals and careful acquisitions over the years, he has sole ownership of multiple properties Downtown, including the Last Round and Confession, two major Elysiums in the area. If anything happened in these streets, _his_ streets, he was always the first to know.

 _Was_ is the keyword. Ever since the Cam moved in, there has been an unusual amount of radio silence. Things are quiet along the grapevine, and he knows it’s because the Cam is reining in control of every word spoken by Kindred on the streets. Mysteriously silent and observant Kindred have started to appear everywhere in Downtown, putting nearly every Kindred, Cammy or not, on edge. Even in his guarded Elysiums, conversations between Kindred take place behind closed doors or in low voices. Sometimes, he even gets worrisome looks and hush sounds when he makes eye contact with anyone in the middle of speaking.

The Cam has already begun their campaign to manipulate and control freedom of speech. It’s pissing him off.

‘Its to protect the Masquerade’ is what the Cam might say if he bothered to ask earlier. ‘Keep the rabble from spilling precious Kindred secrets or blood’.

It’s bullshit. All of it. It’s interfering with his business.

He and his crew are due for a meeting with their Prince in his tower soon. He can’t wait to tell it to his face.

“It’s so high up, it’s stupid. It’s like we’re nothing but ants to him from up there.” Damsel remarks in a pissed tone.

The young Brujah woman has been one of his most steadfast supporters, even when MacNeil called all the shots. Her enthusiasm and ability to drum up attention from a crowd has made her a valuable player in the greater Anarch movement. While she’s never one for playing nice, it only felt right for him to bring her to this meeting as his right-hand woman and as moral support.

“It’s a good defensive position. He has ninety-nine floors of buffer space and all the time in the world to get ready before anybody can reach his ass on the top floor.” Skelter chimes in.

The war veteran Brujah, like Damsel, is young in Kindred years, but what he makes up for in lack of supernatural experience he makes up for in brute strength and combat experience as kine. He’s shown Nines and MacNeil in the past, how his experience fighting guerrilla fighters in dense jungles translates extremely well in fighting Kindred and other creatures in the urban landscape. Since the previous leadership’s departure, he serves as Nines’ second-in-command and voice of reason.

“How tragic it would be if a couple of Anarchs somehow _got in there_ and tossed his Cammy ass out the window?” Damsel bites down on her teeth hard.

“I know that’s supposed to be sarcasm, but yes. It would be tragic. For us. Even if we toss the Prince out tonight, there are ten other assholes in line to replace him. Might be better to let ‘em stab him in the back like Brutus.” Nines replies in a straight tone. Damsel scoffs.

And then there’s the man himself, the Anarch leader Nines Rodriguez, a Ventrue donning a clean haircut and a blue suit jacket over a pressed white shirt. While he’s faced plenty of prejudice from the Brujah-heavy movement since his very Embrace, no one can discount his ability to organize and get shit done with what little they have. Very few in the movement have the disciplines, the finesse, and the negotiation skills to pull off what he has done for the Anarch Free States since the Camarilla’s last departure. These businesses and cash flow didn’t establish themselves after all.

“Wouldn’t be as easy as that, anyway. If he’s smart, he would have that penthouse set up like a fucking stronghold.” Skelter adds. He’s always been the most practical one out of the three of them.

“Would be in line with what I’ve heard about this Cammy Prince. Didn’t think polite society would allow a Brujah to take the throne.”

Of course, if he had his way, he’d be more than happy to help the Camarilla out with their next departure. But not tonight. Tonight is just talk. Some _friendly_ banter between two leaders. Two leaders who are mavericks of their own factions, a Ventrue leader of the Anarchs and a Brujah Prince of the Camarilla. They are opposites in so many ways that Nines can’t predict how well it’ll end for either of them. This should at least make for an entertaining evening, like a badly mismatched date.

“As much as I hate to say it, I heard he’s a tough sonuvabitch who lead the Cam against the Kuei-Jin. I won’t give him credit for fuckin’ anything, except for that. If they had to pick some asshole to be Prince, he’s not the worst choice.” Skelter tells him reluctantly, under bated breath.

Just a few weeks prior, the Brujah LaCroix and his army of Cams stormed LA during the Anarch’s war with the Kuei-Jin and decimated their ranks. It came as a massive surprise to everyone in the city, who at the time saw the Camarilla as nothing but a relic of the past. They killed a lot of Anarchs and innocent kine in the crossfire, something which Nines will never forgive the Cam for, but he can’t deny their ruthlessness and effectiveness in clearing the city of the Kuei-Jin scourge. Nines was the one who had to deliver the hard-to-swallow news that the war had ended due to Cammy involvement.

And he had to do it alone to a crowd of war exhausted Anarchs. He can’t forget the jeers and the blank stares. He hated it.

If only the Cam hadn’t taken advantage of the power imbalance to plop their own Prince into a tower and falsely claim the entire city as theirs. Maybe Nines would’ve given them some credit. A very hard _maybe_.

“Ehh, whatever. Him being in the tower still gives out small dick energy anyhow.” Damsel quips. She crosses her arms and scowls at the sight of the tower.

“For once, I’m with you on that, Damsel. Motherfucker is compensating for something.” Skelter lets out a chuckle and punches Damsel softly on the arm. She smiles and punches him back.

Nines finishes the last of his cigarette and puts out the burning butt on the sidewalk with his foot. “C’mon you two. Let’s get this meeting done with.”


End file.
